Do You Qualify For This Promise?

Scripture:  Philippians 4:19 - But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
           
I think most of us who believe on the Lord Jesus as our savior also understand that we need to depend upon God to help us in the times of life that we find ourselves in circumstances of need.  The thought of God being unavailable or resistant to helping us is discouraging and even frightful.  He gives unto us promises that are His guarantees to help us, but we must be mindful that certain promises, like the one before us for devotional meditation, has certain conditions that are necessary for our entitlement and expectation.  So it becomes necessary for us to evaluate ourselves with certain questions when we seek God in prayer on the basis of His promises to us.

In the context of Philippians 4, the first question we must ask ourselves is, are we people that care for others as God does?   Especially for the people that belong to God and those who are committed to living for and serving God in this world.  The Philippians cared for Paul and his necessities as he served the purposes of God in his ministry.  He commended them on the aid they sent to him for his necessities (4:16).  God is the God of compassion and promises to comfort us with the same comfort that we extend to others who are in need (2 Corinthians 1:3, 4).  Only people who care for and about people like God does, and cares for the priorities of God can claim the expectation from God to meet all of their needs.  If God seems to be withholding from meeting your needs, be sure to ask yourself, am I a person that cares?

Beyond the question of caring is the question of sharing, which is really caring in action.  Am I a person that shares?  Caring without sharing is just like faith without works.  When God is going to meet the needs of others, He puts the resources to bless others in the hands of sharing people.  It is this sharing heart that builds up a grace account of favor with God (4:17).  God can trust the sharing heart with much, because He knows that it will always go to the places and people that God intends.  So the sharer can have all his/her needs met because they understand that God’s supply to a yielded vessel is also God’s supply through a trusted vessel.  We are to do good to all, especially those who belong to the family of God through faith (Galatians 6:10).

A person that cares and a person that shares, must become a person that dares to trust God.  Living on this kind of promise from God requires the courage to trust God at His Word.  Daring to obey the expectations of God does measure the true maturity and genuineness of our faith and love.  When we dare to care and dare to share, we are in fact putting ourselves in the position for God to prove Himself according to what He has promised.  It is God who says to His people, “Prove Me (test Me) to see if I will pour out a blessing from the windows of Heaven that will overflow in your lives (Malachi 3:10).  It is the dare of faith that says to God, we will freely give knowing that You have promised that we will freely receive according to Your grace to us (2 Corinthians 9:8).  God will supply to us what we share with others in His name, and He delights in the many praises of thanks that will come to Him because we submitted ourselves to be the people that cared, shared and dared to trust Him at His Word.

Prayer.  Father, I offer up to You my words of praise and thanksgiving because of the many promises You have kept to someone like me who is admittedly unworthy of the least of Your blessings.  Please I pray that You will continue to help my heart to stay soft with Your compassion to others, and it is my desire to continue to offer any giving of my time, talent and treasure as a sacrifice to You as a sweet smelling aroma of worship, in Jesus Name, amen.

(Pastor Wayne Cockrell)